Written by Elsa and Matthew, Camp Co-Directors
Additional comments by workshop and elective instructors Malcolm, Jem, Peter, Rita, & Will
We ran our 6th annual winter retreat at Camp Mariah over Presidents Day weekend this year! A smaller, more wintry version of WriCampia, our winter writing retreat (for tweens and teens) is a long weekend of creative writing workshops and specialty writing and art electives like songwriting, RPGs, filmmaking, and graphic noveling/visual arts.
This year’s retreat was especially memorable: the first day was an unexpected one! We arrived at Camp Mariah while it began to snow, creating a white, icy landscape for the weekend. As we got to know each other on the first day, connecting with our new bunkmates and reacquainting old friends, we formed a cool, vibrant, kind, and incredibly creative writers’ community. Writers dived right into workshops on the first night to set goals and began projects in electives. As the weekend continued, we wrote for three hours each morning in workshops, divided into groups for electives in the afternoons, and then collaborated during our evening activities — including our super fun mystery game improv night — and, finally, everyone showcased their work on the last night. This year’s showcase included a final “trial” for an RPG game, a visual art gallery, two short films, three songs, a play, and a reading of the stories and poetry writers wrote during workshop. Videos of their work can be found below. Congrats to all the writers who joined us for such a cozy and productive weekend! You all completed SO much incredible work in just a few days and we had a blast with you!
And we have some specific shoutouts below!
Will: Shout out to Jazmine for writing, directing, starring in, and editing a 6-minute short film in only two days! And to Idan, Jackson, and Daschel for writing a rap about camp and creating a music video—featuring yours truly.
Peter: Congratulations to the new geniuses of Nilbog, who overcame their sordid roots and found a home in a new world in one of our D&D games over the weekend. To the members of the other D&D group, we found redemption and, most importantly, freedom on the high seas. The Doppler sails on under a new captain now. Thank you so much to Thaddeus, who taught a group of us how to play Blood on the Clocktower!
Elsa: Shout out to everyone who joined us in the art room! It was such a beautiful and sweet space because everyone was so kind and supportive. Also, shoutout to ALL of our retreaters for having such impressive improv skills during our mystery game evening activity!
Malcolm: I would like to give a special congratulations to my songwriters for writing, practicing, and performing their songs all within two days! The vibes in songwriting were immaculate; the support and camaraderie of the space would not have been possible without the people there. I could not have asked for a better workshop, y’all showed bold creativity and passion in your work.
Jem: Shout out to my wonderful workshop–Maya, Mirabelle, Leila, Gabby, Jackson, Idan, and Dr. Teach! Your stories filled me with awe and wonder, and I will treasure the poems y’all wrote on the last day. Remember: y’all “The greatest adventure in life is sometimes just living it!”
Matthew: Congratulations to my workshop, a group of writers whose talent is matched by your curiosity. For many of you, this will have been your last winter retreat. Experiencing your writing, and getting to talk deeply about craft with you, helped me find focus and purpose each morning. You are bright voices in the world, and I have faith that you will only get brighter. Please keep in touch!
Rita: To my awesome workshop—it was such a joy getting to know you as people and as writers, and I’ll always remember your wonderful and wacky collaborative story about the elf who lives in a bunker and thinks humans are a conspiracy. Even when it was cold outside, you always kept the energy warm.
Videos
- Jazmine’s film
- Idan, Jackson, & Daschel’s music video
- Mirabelle’s play
- Mirabelle & Saadie’s song
- Jun’s song
- Charlotte, Ella, & Idan’s song|
